3O6 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



it was not, however, supposed to be of any extra- 

 ordinary weight, as it was not in first-rate condition. 

 With few exceptions, these fish were returned to the 

 pond as soon as the repairs to the Engine were com- 

 pleted, but we have reason to believe that after having 

 long baffled the skill of more than one experienced 

 angler, both before and since the circumstance related, 

 these patriarchs of the deep, at their final exit from 

 their native waters, fell into the hands of persons who 

 were anything but fair sportsmen. 



We have reason to believe that the (Ammoccetes 

 branchialis) may be found in all the tributaries to the 

 Rother that pass through our Harting lowlands ; we 

 know it is not uncommon in the deeper parts of tKe 

 stream running through the meadows in the occupation 

 of Mr. William Wild of East Harting, and some of the 

 water courses in the Down Park meadows. We also 

 know that those who have fished it out of the streams 

 and have yet to learn that it is distinguished by a high 

 sounding name, call it the "Nine eyes." Others who are 

 more familiar with it, call it Stone Grig, Sand Pride, 

 and Mud Lamprey, the latter name being the most ap- 

 propriate to our Harting individuals. These are of an 

 eel-like form, about the thickness of a goose quill, 

 from six to eight inches long, with seven respiratory 

 orifices on each side of the neck, and their bodies are 

 annulated like that of the common earth-worm, though 

 less conspicuously. As they obviously make their 

 way from the Rother, in order to reach the streams 

 in which we have met with them, they must cross the 

 roads over which these streams flow. Here, when seen 

 in great numbers, they would be readily mistaken for 

 young eels, or " elvers," by non-pisciculturists, who, in 

 primitive days, would probably be under the necessity 

 of fording the streams in the absence of other means 

 of crossing them. Later on, when the march of im- 

 provement invaded Harting, and bridges came to be 

 thrown over the different fords and water courses in 



